Serpentine Belts

In my 1995 4.6 Thunderbird, there is a plate on the LHS wheel-well plate (in the motor compartement, near the chasis number), indication the routing of the "drive belt"; I can make a photo if you like. Hans Westerling hamacavi@wandoo.nl

Take off passenger tire, then remove firewall splash guard plastic screws and guard. see serpentine routing of belt and begin, also use the belt tensioner to get it on, there is a nut to turn to make it loose, do that when you get there, and also a good idea to replace that also as a new belt will put a lot of stress on the tensioner, that makes for doing the job, once and not twice. My tensioner went out and most mechs. recommend doing that to cut the cost down or energy. Especially if you use the a/c a lot, that is what made my tensioner go out. the fan clutch comes on and off and tensioner is put on more stress again, they just wear out. Good luck!

You'll need a torx bit I think it is a 40 make sure that the bigger size doesn't fit first,or it will strip easily. Looking at the engine on your left you will see where the belt slips over a smooth wheel, just below that there is and arm with another wheel on it. Use the torx bit and move that arm at the base to losen the belt for removal and for reinstallation.

I won't say the first answer is incorrect because manufacturers do strange things sometimes but that is not the way it works on my 1999 Wrangler with A/C and power steering. There is a smooth wheel below the PS pump on the front, driver side of the engine. This wheel is adjustable. Look behind the wheel and you'll see a long bolt. Follow the bolt up to the top and you'll see the head of the bolt in an easy to access location on the inside of the bracket. A socket and ratchet with an extension works fine on it. Before you go turning it, however, check the tension of the old belt as it may help you know how much tension to apply to the new belt. Next, loosen the nut that holds the smooth wheel to the bracket or the smooth wheel will not be free to move out of position and allow slack in the belt. Just loosen it a turn or so before turning the adjustment bolt in the direction that moves the wheel and allows slack in the belt. Remove the belt, insuring you can remember how the original was installed. A digital photo might help if you are as old as me and have a short memory or if you are not immediately going to install/re-install the belt. If your belt broke, or for some other reason you don't have the old routing to look at, there may be a diagram within the engine bay, on the package your new belt came in, or on the internet. To finish up, route the belt and tighten the long adjusting bolt before finally tightening up the bolt in the center of the smooth wheel. I just tightened mine about the same as the old one. It isn't rocket science - you don't want it to flap or be able to come off and you don't want it super tight or you'll wear out components prematurely. Hope this helps someone.

The belt tensioner is automatic and does not need manual adjustment. Put a 15mm socket on the tensioner nut and push downward a few times. The internal tensioning spring should put it back into the tight position on the belt again. If it does not, then the tensioner needs replacement.

yes

I have a '96 Ultra and I've changed both belts. I had to remove the bottom screw of the upper engine mount to change both the Supercharger and Accessory belts. Take the right front tire off for easier access. Remove the bolt, then get a star socket and remove the screw. There is a metal piece held in by the screw. With the screw missing you can now pull the belts through. You'll have to route the belts in front of the pulley that is behind the mount.

I am a Do-It-Yourselfer. I've done this twice. And that's how I did it.

Also, make sure you don't waste your money on cheap belts. Pay a little extra for good belts so you won't have to do this much.

I'm working on it as we speak - it is a difficult job and I have a lot of tools and am fairly experienced. I got the new belt on but am having trouble getting the tensioner assembly back together. Carve out a day. If you're a novice, consider taking it in. The accessory belt in front of it is a piece of cake. 1) Loosen the nut on the idler pulley, 2) back off the tensioner with a 14mm socket gently (directly on top of the tensioner puller). 3) Back off the tensioner aways to make room for the new belt.

BiggDogg357:

It takes about thirty minutes to do both belts on the two belt configuration. Remove the passenger side tire and any covers. Loosen the idler pulley nut then go back up top and loosen the tensioner, this will allow you to remove the AC/alternator belt. From underneath you must loosen the power steering pump bolt on the back (if you have a racheting 14mm wrench it makes the job easier) then loosen the top bolt on the tensioner, then loosen the adjustment bolt on the bottom of the tensioner. Installation is reverse order.

IT DDEPENS IN WHAT BELT YOU HAVE TO REPLACE, IF IS THE AC/ALT, YOU HAVE TO REMOVE BOTH BELTS,BUT IF IS THE BELT FROM THE POWER STERING IS ONLY THAT THE ONE YOU REMOVE WHEN YOU REMOVE THE AC/ALT BELT YOU HAVE TO LOOSEN BOTH BELTS TO LOOSEN THE ONE IT IS IN THE STERING POWER YOU HAVE TO USE A 12MM AND A 14MM WRENCH TIS BOLT IS ON THE SIDE OF THE POWER STERING PUMP (is a little unconfort to do this the best option is loose the 14mm nut from the top and the 12mm bolt from under ) I FORGOT YOU MUST REMOVE THE PLASTIC THAT IS COVEERING THE MOTOR UNDER THEN YOU HAVE TO LOOSEN THE OTHER BELT THE AC/ALT TO LOOSEN THIS YOU HAVE TO LOOS THE NUT IN THE IDLER PULLEY THEN YOU HAVE TO LOOSE THE BOLLT THE BOLT IS JUST IN FRON OF THE COMPRESOR FOR THE AC YOU HAVE TO LOOSE THIS IN ORDER TO REMOVE PRESSURE FROM THE BELT IS A LITTLE HARD TO DO IT BUT IS ONLY THAT ONCE YOU HAVE TO LOOSE THIS BOLTS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PROCED TO REMOVE THE OLD ONES AND PUT THE NEW ONES BUT REMEMBER HOW THE BELT IS INSTALED SO YOU PUT RIGTH IN THE SAME PATH AND TO PUT THE NEW ONES YOU JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SAME STEPS

A wiring diagram for the 1998 Plymouth Voyager can be found on the "Automotix" website. This website contains wiring diagrams for the majority of cars, past and present and is free to use.

?? if it is only the pulley /bearing you want to change...THE BOLT THAT IS IN THE CENTER OF THE PULLEY IS LEFT HAND THREAD!!! if it is the whole tensioner you want to change,,,disconnect battery negative,Drain coolant!! remove alternator, ...one of the alternator bolts holds the tensioner on, then there are two more bolts.. heater core coolant goes through this too! spray the plastic elbow that goes from the tensioner to the front of the intake manifold and also the tube that is under the tensioner with good penatrating oil, pry and wiggle very carefully straight out (I broke the plastic elbow on mine) clean holes for coolant and make sure you get new o rings, put engine oil or vaseline in the holes for the o rings.

You really don't need to drain the radiator- only about a quart of liquid will escape. However, be sure the coolant is cool before attempting this! Otherwise have an ambulance standing by.

Pull the tensioner assembly directly towards the radiator, don't twist or rotate it. Even being VERY careful the plastic tubes will probably break. They get brittle from heat. It was a terrible design choice but what are you gonna do they saved maybe $0.50 a car over Aluminum tubes.

They are a dealer item, about $20 for the pair including O-Rings. To be safe, I recommend you replace those plastic tubes when you replace the tensioner.

Also, if the plastic tubes break off inside the housing you'll need to get out the pieces before replacing them. Be careful not to damage the housings.

There is no "fan belt"; the 2.5L V-6 has two accessory drive belts, both with tensioners (loosen the large nut in the center of the tensioner pulley, and adjust the threaded adjustment rod), and the 2.0L I-4 has a single accessory drive belt with a tensioner (loosen the clamp bolt & adjust the threaded adjustment rod).

Anything that uses a belt tightens one of two ways. There is either a tension pully that is spring loaded and adjusts the tension. Some of these are always movable and some have a bolt in the face of them to lock them in place.
The other way is that one of the parts the belt goes over or around adjusts. In a car it is very often the alternator that moves to tighten the belt.
All cars and anything else that uses a belt are going to be different in where the adjustment is. It will be one of these two ways.

Pulleys misaligned? Defective tensioner?

There is a belt routing schematic on the radiator core support.

There should be 1 or more smooth pulleys (idlers) that keep belt taught with spring tension. If you pry on them they move & once you have the slack, pull belt. before you do, ensure you have a routing diagram or note so everything will turn in right direction.

Make SURE that the breaker bar (3/8th NOT 1/2 inch) is long enough or you will pinch the handle or your hand when you release the tension. If you are careful, and keep control of the belt you can remove it completely over the fan blades without removing the upper radiator cover. the entire process should take 10-15 minutes. When installing the new belt, route it as the diagram on your truck indicates, but have the Alternator be the LAST pulley you slip the belt over. if not, you will have a hard time getting the belt on the tensioner and hold the tensioner all the way open. I do not have a 1995, but almost all serpentine belts have an idler pulley to keep tension. You take a breaker bar and turn the idler pulley nut releasing tension and then you can slide the belt off.

My cousin and I are putting his back on from slipping off as well. It seemed to happen to him when he drove through a large puddle and the water allowed slippage of the belt while running. If I had to guess this happens more often than most realize, probably due to pour design of undercarriage splash guards and such. There is quite a few posts in forums about the ZX2 Escort tensioner pulleys failing prematurely as well. It could've been a combination of both in our case or just dumb luck. Unless it happens again, we'll never know.

Robert Fulton which his invention provided faster RIVIR transportation

Loosen all visable bolts on power-steering pump (4.0 Liter only). Take a 12mm socket with approx. 4-6" ext. (3/8 drive will do nicely....) and reach UNDER the right-hand side of the pump, and you should find a tensioning bolt. Relax tension until belt comes off. You may need a small pry-bar to push unit inward once tension is released. Install is opposite of de-install. *NOTE: If you get the old belt off and forget how to put the new one back on, just remember, no matter what make,model, vehicle, the OUTSIDE of the belt runs on slick pullies, and the INSIDE of the belt runs on the pullies with raised grooves.............If you don't have PWR STR you'll probably have an idler bracket & bearing (rider's-side) with adjmt.......Hope this helps.

A loose or worn serpentine belt can cause low voltage. I just had to trace out an electrical issue in my bkazer. Turns out tge worn serpentine belt slipped quietly at low rpms and couldbt turn tge alternator fast enough to produce enough voltage to power the vehicle. So my battery was taking on most of the electrical acessories and not charging so after a while.....no juice

Use a breaker bar in the belt tensioner to relax tension and then remove/replace belt

It is different for each engine size. There should be a sticker right under the hood near the hood latch showing all the patterns.

it looks as if there are small cracks on the pulley side of the belt. If these are within 1/8" of one another you need a new belt NOW